Dog Marketplace: A Happy Tale

Philip and Jackie Bowman, who live in Warwickshire in the English Midlands, were devastated when their 16-week old Labrador called Becks disappeared from their backyard earlier this year. They searched frantically but she was nowhere to be found.

Becks had instantly become part of the family when she had been taken home as a puppy two months previously--and was greatly missed. At the outset, though, she had been microchipped with a tracer chip by a veterinarian and her details registered with Petlog, the U.K.’s largest pet reunification service.
The Bowmans immediately informed Petlog that Becks was missing and the relevant authorities were alerted. Philip was convinced she had been stolen and was worried he would never see her again.

Happily, Becks was tracked down two months later, about 50 miles away. Her collar had been removed but, because she was microchipped, the police were able to identify that she belonged to the Bowmans when she was scanned.

"We were heartbroken when Becks went missing, and our friends, grandchildren and even our employees were all very upset” said Philip. "You can only imagine our delight when I received a phone call to say Becks had been found and was on her way home.

"When I arrived, she was already settled on her favorite piece of carpet with my family and staff fussing over her,” he continued. "Her joy was obvious and a sight to see. We are so thankful we had her chipped and we are so grateful to all concerned in securing her return.”

Petlog is accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to animal wardens, welfare and rescue centres, veterinary practices and local authorities, all who can scan for microchips in pets that come into their care, allowing owners to be traced through the program’s database. This currently hold the details of more than 4.2 million animals of all types, including not just dogs but other pets, too, such as tortoises and parrots. It is growing at a rate of roughly 40,000 new additions per month.